


Tonight Have Faith

by eternalscout



Series: Come Now Children [2]
Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: De-Aged, Gen, babysitter!Newt, kid!Hermann
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-27
Updated: 2013-10-27
Packaged: 2017-12-30 16:00:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1020617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eternalscout/pseuds/eternalscout
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thanks to the Kaiju, Newt has to take care of a nine-year-old Hermann. Well, it's not like he has anything else to do since the lab is quarantined.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tonight Have Faith

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is a companion to We Grow Up Then We Fall Asleep. It's basically the reverse of the original prompt I filled. It takes place as if the events in the other fic never happened.
> 
> This fic is dedicated to Moonfoot (the original requester) and lostwiginity (who put thoughts in my head).
> 
> It took a lot longer to finish than I expected. I apologize for that. I hope you like the results!

When Hermann opened his eyes, he didn’t know where he was. That scared him more than anything else. He sat up slowly, frowning as his sleeves fell over his hands. The clothes were right, khakis and a button up and sweater, but it was like they had gone up several sizes. His cheek ached from where it had been pressed against the concrete floor.

It was a prank. That was the only logical explanation.

A quick glance around the room was enough to tell him he was in a lab of some kind, though where he didn’t know. It made the labs he was accustomed to seem like playrooms in comparison. The only thing he knew for certain was that he shouldn’t be there.

Hermann stood, keeping one hand firmly tightened in the back of his trousers. He noted the belt sagging around his waist and tightened it as much as he could. Satisfied he could move without losing his trousers, he carefully rolled the legs before doing the same to his sleeves. He had no doubt he still looked ridiculous, but at least he was marginally presentable.

Against his better judgment, he left his shoes behind, stepping carefully in his socked feet as he made a slow turn around the lab. There was no sign of the clothes he had to have been wearing. He returned to the metal table the shoes laid in front of, and set them side by side beneath it, next to an odd combination of metal and plastic that already rested there. He set the cane he found on the floor beside them.

As he straightened, what appeared to be a dissection in progress moved and he jerked back, narrowly avoiding the mess it made as something in it burst.

He felt guilty leaving the mess behind, but he didn’t know the first thing about the proper procedure in terms of its disposal. Instead he moved to the door, letting himself out into the empty hallway.

Footsteps echoed around the corner and he panicked, ducking into a recessed doorway that he felt provided him sufficient cover. He peered out from behind the frame as a man whose hair appeared to be standing on end juggled a tray of food and a small stereo.

Footsteps pounded loudly a moment later and Hermann ducked back into his hiding place, trying to make himself as small as possible.

“Newton!” a woman shouted. Hermann couldn’t determine where precisely she was from, but he felt confident she was Asian.

“Oh, hey, Mako. What’s up?” An American.

“You cannot enter the lab.”

“What? Why not?”

“There is something wrong with the specimen. The Marshal said it must be quarantined and he wants you to report to medical immediately.”

“Something wrong like what?” he asked, sounding more curious than concerned.

“There is another scientist who came into contact with it. She was killed.”

Hermann tensed, eyes widening. He did a quick mental check, but he felt fine.

“We are still waiting for further details. What has been conveyed so far is…” The woman hesitated.

“Is what?”

“Difficult to believe.”

“Yeah, well that’s what we said about the Kaiju existing in the first place. Look where we are now. Hit me.”

“It is possible the translation is faulty. We are still awaiting confirmation. No more stalling. I can tell you what you need to know on the way. It is important you go to medical. Has Dr. Gottlieb been in contact with the specimen as well?”

Hermann tensed where he stood, stomach churning. His father. He must be at the university. His father would be so upset if he found him there. He needed to get home. Immediately.

“Huh. Dunno. Haven’t spent much time around him today. He might be inside. Want me to check?”

“We cannot go back inside. I will have them check the security footage.”

“All I have to do is open the door, Mako. Is it really that dangerous? We can see if he’s inside and tell him to come out if he is.”

Hermann knew his father wasn’t there, which meant he was in the area. He waited, heart pounding, until he heard them open the door. Hermann darted from his hiding place and around the corner, coming to an abrupt stop when he nearly ran into a tall black man in full military uniform. The man’s eyes widened as he stared down at him.

“Dr. Gottlieb?”

Hermann turned abruptly, relaxing only when he didn’t see his father behind him.

“Hermann?” the man, British, queried.

Shamefaced, he tentatively met the officer’s eyes. “I apologize, sir. I…seem to have lost my way. Perhaps you could point me in the direction of my father?”

“Holy shit!”

Hermann spun at the exclamation, staring blankly up at the oddly coiffed man. A young Asian woman stood behind him, eyes equally wide.

“Holy shit!” the man repeated. “Hermann has a kid?! Our Hermann?!”

“No, sir. My name is Hermann. My father is Dr. Lars Gottlieb.”

The man’s eyes went, if possible, even larger. “Is this some kind of joke?”

“No, sir.”

A hand rested heavily on Hermann’s shoulder and he jumped.

“We’ll discuss the matter in medical,” the officer said.

Hermann moved as the officer directed him, his hand never leaving his shoulder. He did his best to ignore the way the American, Newt, gaped at him all the while. As if he didn’t know how ridiculous he looked without his help. Or perhaps he was simply stunned to find one of Dr. Gottlieb’s children behaving so badly. Father was going to be furious.

He tried to refocus his attention on the adults, though they had abandoned English as they walked down the hall. Japanese, he realized belatedly. He didn’t recognize the words, but all three were speaking it. Reaching medical, the officer, a Marshal Hermann realized belatedly, released him. A nurse led them to a curtained area and Hermann was instructed to sit on the examination table. He clasped his hands in his lap as all but the American stepped away. At least the man had finally stopped staring at him.

“So, uh, Hermann. How are you feeling, buddy?”

“Fine, sir.”

The man’s eyebrows darted up. “It’s just Newt. Only my mother calls me sir.”

Hermann stared blankly back at him.

“…that was a joke, Hermann.”

“Oh.”

“You always this serious? Jesus, you were born a Vulcan, weren’t you?”

“Is that a joke as well?”

“Jesus,” Newt breathed, running a hand through his hair and making it stand up even further. Hermann hadn’t thought that was possible.

The curtain drew back and a nurse entered with a syringe.

“I just need to take a blood sample, son,” she offered.

Hermann nodded, pushing his sleeve up the rest of the way.

“Do you need me to hold your hand or something?” Newt asked.

“Why would I need you to do that, Mr. Newt?”

“Just Newt. And never mind.”

Hermann sat quietly as the nurse worked. He did another mental check, but he still felt fine. The churning of his stomach was nothing more than anxiety.

The nurse withdrew with the tubes of blood she had collected and silence fell over the faux room once more. Hermann hesitated before deciding to break it.

“Do you know when my father will arrive? Is he far?”

“Last I heard, he was in Germany.”

“Germany? That can’t be right,” Hermann protested. “He didn’t tell me that he was traveling.”

Newt glanced to where the curtains overlapped, as if waiting for someone to come through the makeshift door.

“Where do you think you are right now, Hermann?”

He frowned at the phrasing. “The university,” he said, though it felt significantly more like a military base of some kind, albeit an odd one. He’d only seen the Marshal in uniform.

“What country?” Newt hazarded.

“England, of course.”

“Year?”

“1998.”

Newt grinned. “Yeah? You a Pokemon fan?”

“A what?”

“Dexter’s Lab?”

“Who?”

Newt was staring again, but he grinned. “My bad. You probably have some different cartoons in England.”

“I don’t watch cartoons.”

“What? Why the hell not?”

“Father says there are better ways to spend my time. I need to study.”

“Study what? You’re like five!”

Hermann flushed. “I am nine years old.”

“You should be living life! Having fun! Watching anime and reading manga!”

“I don’t know what you are referring to.”

Newt gaped, but Hermann was saved from his next tirade when the Marshal stepped in. Hermann immediately sat a little straighter.

“Did they figure anything out?” Newt prompted.

“He is not at risk of developing the Kaiju blue. Dr. Gottlieb is naturally resistant.”

“To what?” Hermann asked, confusion growing by the moment.

The Marshal shifted the whole of his attention to him and Hermann felt very small.

“The specimen in the lab carried a deadly toxin. However, it appears as if you are naturally immune to it.”

“So now what?” Newt prompted.

“Dr…” He caught himself. “Hermann will be released and you will look after him until this matter is settled, Newton.”

Newt nodded. “I can do that. But what about Tentalus?”

“The specimen will be contained and the lab will be decontaminated. Until then, no one will be permitted to step inside.”

“Yeah, I guess I can see why.”

“Dr. Amadika Asabi’s body is currently being monitored to determine whether or not the process will naturally reverse itself.”

“Excuse me, Marshal,” Hermann interjected, this time purposely drawing the man’s full attention.

“Yes, Hermann?”

“I am capable of making it home on my own, sir. There is no need to pull…Newt from his work.”

The Marshal considered him as if weighing his words. “Your father was called away on urgent business and your mother with him. I offered to keep an eye on you in the interim as a favor to your father. He is an old friend of mine.”

“And my siblings?”

“They are being cared for by someone else. Will you listen to Newton until they return?”

“Yes, sir. Of course.”

The nurse reentered, pressing paperwork into Newt’s hand. Newt considered it and flashed Hermann a grin. “You ready to head out?”

“Yes,” Hermann answered as he climbed down from the examination table.

“Someone will be by your room shortly with any items Hermann may need,” the Marshal said.

Newt nodded. “You hungry, Hermann?”

“Yes.”

“We’re headed to the mess then.”

Hermann hesitated at the door. “Newt?”

“Yeah?”

“Would it be possible for me to find clothes that fit first?”

“Yeah, sure. Let’s just hang out in my room until they bring something, okay?”

Hermann nodded, following him back in the direction he swore they’d gone in before. Newt unlocked his door when they reached his room and Hermann followed him inside.

Messy was a good way to describe the space, but not dirty. Cluttered, but relatively hygienic. Hermann studied the small action figures proudly displayed on one of Newt’s shelves. They were of robots and tiny monsters that looked sort of like dinosaurs.

“You can play with them if you want.”

“No, thank you.”

Newt sank onto the bed, studying him. Hermann shifted from foot to foot, uncertain as to whether or not he should join him.

“What do you do for fun, Hermann?”

“I enjoy maths.”

“Anything else?”

“I like to read.”

“What do you read?”

“Books on science.”

“Do you like comic books?”

“No.”

Newt rubbed his chin. “Any kid things you like to do?”

“Like what?”

“You heard of Harry Potter?”

“My sister just finished reading the second book in the series.”

“Do you like them?”

“My father said that I am too old to be reading them. But I’ll buy her the third when it releases.”

“Too old? You’re younger than Harry is in the first book!”

“That does not change the fact that they are written for children.”

“What the hell are you then? An adult? You’re five!”

“Nine.”

Newt threw his hands up. “When I was your age, I ate, slept, and breathed cartoons and kids’ books! Because I was a _kid_!”

Hermann was saved from answering by a knock at the door.

“Come in!” Newt shouted.

Mako appeared with a pile of clothes and other items, setting them down on the desk.

“Those are for Hermann?” Newt asked, rocking to his feet. He studied them, frowning. “Seriously? Where did they even find button ups and sweaters in this size?”

Hermann watched as he dug through the pile, frowning at his sudden triumphant crow.

“Jeans!”

“I don’t mind the khakis,” Hermann began, only to be cut off as Newt shoved them into his arms.

“You get that and a sweater. No button ups. You’re five.”

“I’m nine.”

Newt shoved what was left into a drawer in his small dresser. “Go get dressed.”

Hermann narrowly resisted the urge to roll his eyes, instead turning so his back was to Newt. He gratefully removed the oversized clothes, replacing them with the pants, jeans, and sweater. Socks and trainers came last. He felt…casual, but far more put together than he had. He turned back around just in time for Newt’s hand to land on top of his head, rumpling his hair to what felt like an irreparable degree.

“Perfect,” Newt murmured, admiring his work. He batted Hermann’s hands away when he tried to put some order back into it.

“C’mon. Food.”

Hermann sighed, trooping out behind him. They went a different way this time. When they reached the mess, Hermann felt as if all eyes in the room were on him and Newt. When he stalled, Newt rested a hand on his back, steering him toward the line and grabbing a tray for them both.

Without asking, Newt began loading food on both plates with little care for the jumbled mess he made. Hermann made a soft, distressed sound, effectively stopping him.

“What?”

“There are no vegetables on those plates, Newt.”

“So?”

“May I have some of the spinach and corn?”

Newt stared at him as if he’d grown a second head. “Wait. You _want_ spinach?”

“Yes, please.”

“Don’t you want a cookie instead?”

“I don’t care for sweets.”

“I’ll get you spinach and corn if you eat two cookies.”

When he didn’t immediately reach for the serving spoons, Hermann frowned.

“You’re serious?”

Newt arched a brow.

“…very well.”

Newt grinned, adding what Hermann considered a paltry amount of both vegetables to only one plate before grabbing five cookies and leading him to a table. He held one of the cookies out to Hermann and he reluctantly took it.

“Eat that and I’ll give you your vegetables.”

He sighed and took a bite. It wasn’t as sweet as he’d been expecting, which helped a little. He finished it and wiped the crumbs off on a napkin. Newt handed the plate over and Hermann dug in. The food wasn’t great, not at all what he was accustomed to, but he was too hungry to care. He didn’t even put up a fuss when Newton foisted the second cookie on him.

Hunger abated and feeling far more comfortable in clothes that fit, Hermann relaxed in his chair while Newt finished. Inevitably his thoughts returned to his predicament and he met Newt’s eyes.

“How did I get here?”

Newt paused, his forkful of meatloaf hovering just beyond his lips. “…are you talking about the birds and the bees?”

Hermann’s eyebrows shot up. “I mean physically. How did I arrive here? I don’t remember traveling.”

“Uh…”

“All I recall is waking up on the floor of the lab in those clothes.”

“What about before that?”

“I don’t…I don’t know.”

“The nurse said it looked like you hit your head. You must’ve fallen in the lab.”

“But what was I doing there in the first place?”

“Not sure. I was in the mess. Didn’t see you come in.”

“Perhaps the Marshal knows?”

“I’ll check in with him,” Newt said, climbing to his feet. “Let’s go do something fun.”

“Like what?”

Newt considered him, lips pursing. “We’re gonna do kid stuff.”

“Kid stuff?”

“Watch some cartoons, stay up late, eat all the sugar we can find!”

“Do we have to?”

“We do.”

“Can we wash first?”

“You’re killing me, Herm.”

“Please?”

Newt gave an exaggerated sigh. “I guess we can do that. But only if you agree to my awesome plans for later.”

Hermann frowned, weighing his options. He wasn’t thrilled by the prospect and while his father wouldn’t have approved, he also wouldn’t be happy if he learned he refused to cooperate with Newton. “All right.”

Newt ruffled his hair again and Hermann sighed as Newt led him back to his room. They gathered the necessities before heading to the bath. It was similar to the one at his boarding school, designed for speed rather than privacy. At least Hermann could take comfort in the fact that it was just the two of them. 

He turned his back to Newton and stripped down, carefully folding his clothes and setting them on the bench outside the showers. He turned back to Newt, pausing when he saw the intricate tattoos covering his entire upper body and threatening to go lower. Hermann didn’t realize he was staring until Newt smirked.

“You like them?”

“What are they?” Hermann asked, convinced the question was the more tactful of those he was considering. He’d never seen someone with so many tattoos. He couldn’t believe his father willingly worked with the man, but he tried not to let his prejudices take control. Newt had been very kind to him thus far. If not particularly tasteful.

“Kaiju! They’re…” Newt paused, lips pursing as he considered his words. “They’re…ah…these huge monsters that fight with giant robots.”

“From your cartoons?”

“Something like that,” he said, padding toward the showers.

Once inside, Newt turned on two of them and Hermann set to carefully scrubbing himself down, trying not to gawk at Newt’s tattoos in the process.

“So, Herm, what d’you wanna be when you grow up?”

Hermann wasn’t entirely certain how he felt about chatting in the shower, but he answered anyway. “I’m going to join the military. I’m going to be a pilot.”

Newt’s fingers stilled where they had tangled in his hair, shampoo running down the sides of his face. “You want to join the military?”

“Of course. My medical issues have already been taken care of.”

“Medical issues?”

He frowned, stepping back into the water to rinse. “I had genu varum.”

“Refresh me on that?”

“Bowlegs?”

“And that’s fixed now?”

Hermann nodded. “I didn’t need surgery. The doctor said that I could get arthritis in my knees when I’m older, but I don’t think I will.”

Newt nodded, rinsing himself off and shaking off some of the excess water after he turned off the shower. “Gotta stay positive,” he agreed as he led the way back to their clothes.

Hermann pulled on one of the pairs of pyjamas he’d been provided with, a set in light blue that included bottoms and a buttoned shirt. Newt tugged on a worn t-shirt and a pair of shorts, going barefoot while Hermann preferred to put his shoes back on. They carried their things back to Newt’s room and Hermann set his down neatly while Newt tossed his into an overflowing laundry basket.

“So! Kid stuff!”

Newt flopped on the edge of the bed and patted the spot next to him. “C’mon, man. Time’s a wastin!”

Hermann perched beside him as Newt picked up his laptop from the desk, fiddling with it. As Hermann watched, he frowned.

“I’ve never seen a computer like that before.”

“What? This old thing?”

“It doesn’t look very old.”

Newt gave a dismissive shrug.

“This isn’t a university.”

“It’s not.”

“Where are we?”

Newt considered him over the tops of his glasses. “I could tell you, but I’d have to kill you.”

Hermann snorted.

“C’mon. You were pretty gullible before. Ah, here we go. First episode of Pokemon.”

Hermann settled back against the wall, brows furrowing as he watched over Newt’s shoulder. Still, he was quiet for the entirety of the episode. When the credits began to roll, Newt looked back at him, grinning.

“What’d you think?”

“It seemed a bit…”

“Amazing? Awesome? Ridiculously cool?”

“Childish.”

“Duh, dude. It’s for kids. And maybe if you tried a little harder to be one, you might like it.”

Hermann doubted that.

“Hmm… Let’s try something else. Something that might be more up your alley. You ever seen the first Harry Potter movie?”

“I didn’t know there was a film.”

Newt seemed to catch himself before grinning, “Surprise! Your sister likes the books, doesn’t she? So lemme show you the movie.”

“She’d be happy to know there was a film.”

“So you’ve seriously never read the first book?”

Hermann shook his head and Newt gave a heavy sigh. “Well, if you get confused, just let me know.”

Newt started the film, and though Hermann greatly preferred it to Pokemon, it was still a little far beyond the realm of possibility for his taste. They’d made it perhaps an hour in before Newt began to doze off beside him. It was odd to see him so quiet, but Hermann supposed he had to run out of energy at some point. He already had more than his fair share. At the first of Newt’s snores, Hermann slipped carefully out of the bed, weighing his options. A quick glance at the clock reassured him it was nearing ten.

Newt hadn’t answered his question. He knew he shouldn’t, but Hermann itched to figure out where he was. The fact Newt had changed the topic so abruptly seemed telling. Just a quick peek. He’d be back before Newt realized he had been gone.

Hermann slipped his trainers on and opened the heavy door as quietly as he could, leaving it propped behind him so he wouldn’t accidentally lock himself out. The hallway beyond was empty and, judging from the caution tape slapped across one of the doorways, he was thoroughly convinced he was back where he’d started.

He kept his footsteps light as he made his way down the hall in the opposite direction of what he assumed was the lab. He vaguely recalled the direction of the mess, but he wouldn’t find answers there. He went down the opposite fork instead, slowing his steps when he realized he was reaching some sort of work area, judging by the loud voices and whirring of tools.

He reached another recessed doorway and peered curiously around the frame, eyes widening at the enormous room beyond. It wasn’t the size of the room that made his breath catch, but rather the size of the robots within. His thoughts immediately shifted back to the figurines in Newt’s room and his jaw went slack. If the robots were real, then did that mean..?

His mind immediately rebelled at the connection and he ducked back around, trembling faintly. He shouldn’t be here. He shouldn’t know about this. They would’ve told him otherwise. He wanted to take a longer look, but the fear of getting into trouble spurred him forward and he hurried back in the direction of Newt’s room.

He didn’t know where he was or how his father figured into any of this. He was still marveling at his discovery when he reached Newt’s room, stopping dead when he saw that the door was fully open now. His stomach roiled as he approached, voices from inside washing over him. Mako’s and Newt’s.

“He cannot have gone far,” Mako insisted. “I would not worry. He seems very resourceful.”

“That’s why I’m worried! I could practically see the gears in his head turning when he saw my laptop! What do you think he’s going to do if he finds the Jaegers?”

“We do not know how long he will be like this, Newt. It is likely he will have to find out the truth regardless.”

“D’you know how hard that’s going to be to explain? Oh, hey, Hermann. Don’t freak out, but it’s 2022!”

“He’s just a boy. You worry too much.”

“When you were a little girl, me and Hermann worried just enough, thank you very much.”

She snorted softly at that. “Then what are we waiting for?”

“He told me he wants to be a pilot one day. I know he meant a regular pilot, not a Jaeger pilot, but…”

“But what?”

“You think he has a chance now?”

“To be a pilot?”

Their voices drew closer and Hermann ducked into the doorway he’d hid in before.

“He never told me why he got arthritis so young. Just that the doctor who replaced his knee fucked up the surgery. He said that’s what all the scarring was from. If he has to grow up again, maybe he won’t have arthritis. Maybe he can be a pilot.”

“What is wrong with math?”

“Nothing’s wrong with math. I’m just saying that maybe he could actually do it this time.”

“We need him for his math. He does not need to be a pilot to do something meaningful.”

A bark of laughter escaped him. “Says the woman obsessed with becoming a pilot.”

“You make fun, but it will happen.”

“I’m not making fun. I know that one day you’re gonna be a kickass pilot.”

The words processed slowly and Hermann sank down against the door, mind oddly blank despite everything he’d heard. They nearly walked past him when Mako spotted him, catching Newt’s arm.

“Shit! How much of that did you hear?”

“Judging from his expression? All of it.”

“Thanks, Mako,” Newt retorted as he knelt down beside him. “Hey, Herm, you okay?”

“You said it was 2022,” he answered when he was able to find his voice again.

“Yeah… Technically you’re thirty-three. Of course since you came into contact with Tentalus, now you’re more like nine. It’s a little weird.”

“What’s a Tentalus?”

Newt worried his bottom lip, glancing briefly in Mako’s direction. “The…uh…specimen. From earlier. The one that affected the other scientist. That was part of Tentalus.”

“One of the monsters.”

“Kaiju,” Newt gently corrected. “We fight them with Jaegers. Giant robots.”

“Why did you lie to me?”

Mako knelt down beside Newt, meeting his eyes. “We did not want to distress you. We do not know how long you will be like this. It could be hours, it could be days.”

“Or years,” Hermann supplied. “What if I don’t ever get any older?”

“Let’s worry about one thing at a time, okay?” Newt interjected.

“Where’s my father? My mother? My brothers and sister?”

Newt rubbed at the back of his neck as he considered his answer. “I think your parents are still in Germany. I’m not sure about your siblings though. Last you told me they were scattered around.”

“Do they know I’m like this?”

Newt shook his head. “Do you want to talk to them? Would that help?”

Hermann fell silent, considering it. He shook his head. “If it might be over in a few hours, then I don’t want to make them worry.”

“Probably for the best,” Newt agreed.

“But if it does take years..?”

Newt shared a look with Mako. “Then we’ll have to get in touch with your parents, I guess.”

He could imagine the way his father would react.

“Hey, don’t worry so much,” Newt insisted, helping him back to his feet. “We’ll take care of you. We’ll get all of this sorted out.”

Mako straightened beside them. “Would you like tea?”

Hermann nodded, surprising himself by letting her take his hand. She led the way to the mess and Newt followed.

“You said I wasn’t a pilot. That I had arthritis.”

“You did. I didn’t know why, but you did. You had trouble walking, but I think that’s mostly from the botched knee replacement surgery you had.”

Somehow that didn’t reassure him.

“But! You helped create the first Jaegers. You helped program them.”

“The robots?”

Newt nodded enthusiastically. “Pretty cool, huh?”

“I guess so.”

Newt ruffled his hair and Hermann sighed. “The answer’s yes.”

“So when the Marshal was calling me Dr. Gottlieb earlier?”

“He was talking about you. Not your dad.”

“Are you going to tell me where we are now?”

“The Los Angeles Shatterdome. It’s one of the bases we’ve built for the Jaegers.”

As difficult as it was to wrap his head around it all, the pieces to the puzzle were finally beginning to fit. Reaching the nearly empty mess, Mako directed him to sit and Newton settled opposite him while she went to make the tea.

“You feeling okay?”

He nodded.

“You’re probably feeling pretty overwhelmed. But you’re taking it better than I probably would.”

“Can we not do any more…kid things tonight?”

Newt snorted softly. “I guess we don’t have to. But it wouldn’t kill you.”

Hermann very much doubted that.

Mako returned with three cups of tea before Newt could break the silence again. Hermann sipped experimentally at his. He blinked, startled. “It’s good!”

Mako flashed him a smile. “I have had a lot of practice. That should help you relax.”

The tea did help. By the time Hermann finished his cup, exhaustion had begun to catch up with him. It took more effort than he would’ve thought to climb off of the bench and head back to Newt’s room. They said their goodbyes to Mako in the hall before Newt led him inside. Hermann toed off his shoes and climbed onto the bed, grateful when Newt left his computer on the desk.

As tired as he was, it took Hermann longer to sleep than he would have hoped. As he lay there, forcing himself not to toss and turn, he tried not to think about what he’d learned about himself.

Morning came earlier than he would’ve liked, though he felt disoriented when it did. Likely the result of nearly thirty years’ worth of memories being dumped in his head overnight. He might have been able to pass it all off as a bad dream if he hadn’t opened his eyes and scowled as Newton snored directly in his face.

He narrowly managed not to growl in frustration when he realized his clothes hadn’t grown with him. Thankfully the blankets were still covering him. He lay there for a moment, debating whether or not he should look beneath them. Curiosity got the best of him and he held his breath as he pulled back the blanket to look at his leg. His fingers tightened in the fabric when he realized the scarring was gone. He’d long since forced himself not to take note of it, but now that he no longer had to look at it, he realized how heavy of a burden it had still been.

He was afraid to put weight on his leg. There was no guarantee the arthritis hadn’t returned. That it wouldn’t return. That he wouldn’t have to have another knee replacement surgery. He managed to untangle what little of the blanket Newt was still wrapped up in, wrapping it around himself as he moved cautiously to his feet. The familiar ache didn’t accompany the motion and he felt steadier than he anticipated. He took a deep breath before he walked slowly in the direction of Newt’s dresser. He reached it without incident, though his eyes and throat began to burn.

He forced back the unanticipated wave of emotion and pulled open the drawer as quietly as he was able. Newton’s sleep clothes. With the ten centimeters and four kilograms he had on Newt, they were likely his best bet. He wasn’t about to try and pour himself into Newton’s skinny jeans, nor did he intend to make his way to his own quarters in a blanket. However short the distance. He removed the blanket and carefully folded it. He was in the process of pulling up the superhero logo stamped pajama pants when Newt spoke up behind him.

“Never thought I’d see the day you went commando.”

Hermann yanked them up the rest of the way and leveled him with his best glare.

Newt held up his hands defensively from where he was still tangled in the sheets. “Hey, it’s not the first time I’ve seen your ass. Probably won’t be the last. Glad you’re actual size again instead of fun size. Wait, you’re you again, right? Not little you? Do you remember what happened?”

“If it is all the same to you, Dr. Geiszler, it is not something I wish to discuss or to recall. Except, of course, for any scientific merits that may be gleaned.”

Newt managed to untangle himself most of the way before climbing out of bed, nearly falling flat on his face when the sheets remained tenaciously wrapped around his legs. He swore as he kicked them free. “You’re not leaning on anything.”

Hermann’s fingers tightened in the worn band t-shirt he held. “It is not a permanent fix. Of that much I’m relatively certain. But I may have a few years before the arthritis returns.”

Newt’s eyes widened behind his glasses. “What? Seriously? So you’re better?”

“Better is a loaded word.”

“Dude, that’s awesome! What happened to the replacement knee?”

“I won’t pretend to guess, particularly since we do not know the circumstances of my…transformation. For all we know, it could be laying in the lab somewhere. All I know for certain is that I see no signs of the surgery required for it in the first place.”

“What? Wait, so you don’t have any scarring anymore?”

“I hardly see how that is any of your business, Newton,” he answered as he pulled the shirt over his head. It was a little short, but it was baggier on him than on Newt. Most of the weight he had on Newton came from his height alone.

“Dude, that’s awesome! Hey, does that mean you have to give back the money you said you got from the settlement with the shitty doctor?”

“Really, Newton,” he groused with a roll of his eyes.

“You’re totally not giving it back, are you?”

Hermann chose not to respond, instead stepping in the direction of the door. Whether or not his leg felt fine, he didn’t want to accelerate the return of his arthritis. Not that he was convinced there was much he could do to stop it.

“Hey!” Newt protested, catching his arm.

Hermann jerked it free, frowning back at him. “What?” he demanded.

“I don’t want to forget about it,” Newt protested. “Why should I have to forget about it? Are you embarrassed or something?”

“There are things I had no intention of sharing with you that came out while I was…incapacitated.”

“So? I was pretty much your babysitter, so I’m pretty sure that still gives me some authority to call the shots.”

“That gives you no such thing.”

Newt grinned, throwing an arm around his shoulders. “Still. Pentecost would probably have my head if I didn’t take you down to medical so they can check you out.”

“I feel fine.”

“Yeah, but you’re not the one he ordered to make sure you stayed fine. So shut up and let uncle Newton take care of you.”

“I am fully capable of leaving you here on your arse, Newton.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Newt answered, keeping his arm right where it was as they started down the hall.

“Tea first. And proper clothes.”

“Hermann, I’ve known you almost your entire life by this point. Why the hell did you think I was taking you the scenic route to medical?”

And as much as Hermann wanted to put the experience behind them, he was grateful that it hadn’t seemed to have changed Newton’s opinion of him.

**Author's Note:**

> Any errors when it comes to medical conditions, British English, etc are mine. I did what I could with the internet to guide me, and we all know how that usually ends... I tried to be as true to baby Hermann as I could, while making some changes to make him a little more "American" as an adult. Hopefully saying so will trick you all into assuming all errors were intentional...
> 
> Also, if you're a tumblr addict (like me), you can find me at [therudesea.tumblr.com](http://therudesea.tumblr.com/).


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